Just A Dream
by EMndLIZ
Summary: Her husband's dead, his partner is acting strangely, and nothing is as it should be. Can Elizabeth find out the truth behind Jason's death before its too late or will she lose more than she ever thought she could? (feat. Johnny and Francis)
1. The Funeral

**Just A Dream**

"The Funeral"

_He's not coming home this time. I'm sorry. He's gone._

The words echo through her mind as she slips into the most conservative black dress that she could muster up from the deep recess of her closet. As she stares at her reflection in the mirror, she suddenly realizes just how appropriate the color is. Why many women have chosen it to be the color they dawn in their time of mourning.

In many ways black represents every conflicting emotion flooding through her. It represents the numbness and utter void left in her husband's absence. The hurt and pain she feels as she looks forward to a future without him and sees nothing but pain and misery. Tears and heartache. Widowed at the age of 24, after only three beautiful years as his wife, she is left completely alone and lost.

"Elizabeth?" a soft voice of understanding comes from the doorway as her friend and body guard sticks his head in. "Its time."

Without voicing a single word, she turns her back on the mirror, fitting herself in his arms as he wraps them around her. Francis knows better than to voice anything by way of comfort. After all, what words could he really say to ease the pain of the loss of her husband? It'll get easier with time? He's in a better place? There are literally no words of comfort that the articulate, Francis Corelli, can come up with to comfort her. So, instead of deepening the pain, he lends her his silence.

Stepping through the church doors, Elizabeth is forced to hold back the words of disgust that threatened to form at the sight of all those in attendance. More than half of the people seated despised her husband without ever truly knowing the man behind the blank face. Judging him based on his career rather than his character.

A good chunk of those outside that category couldn't go a single minute in his presence without spewing something hateful and/or blaming him for something he literally had no control over. The most hypocritical of all is Lieutenant Marcus Taggert, who now sits near the front of the church with his sister Gia Campbell and her husband Nikolas Cassadine. A big bunch of pathetic hypocrites with nothing else better to do than attend the funeral of the man they despised more than life itself.

Taking her place at the front of the church, on the very first pew, Elizabeth reaches over to her sister-in-law, Emily Quartermaine, pulling her in close as the young woman's tears fall profusely down her cheeks. Among other Quartermaines, Emily has turned to her as a source of comfort, something to hold onto as reality shatters around her. Jason's parents as well as his grandparents are among the few that have turned to her in this time of grieving. Jason's absence has left her with the burden of holding these people together in spite of her shattering heart.

"What are we supposed to do without him?" Emily blubbers as she holds tight to Elizabeth. "What are we going to do?"

"Survive." she voices, not knowing what else she could truly say in that moment. "Its all we can do."

Before long the ceremony begins, the priest saying all the things he thinks a grieving family should hear in their time of need, all the proper things that should be said at a funeral. Soon the time comes for people to say a few words on behalf of the deceased and Elizabeth mentally dared the hateful people to rise to their feet. Fortunately for them, none of the hypocrites rose, leaving Jason's closest friends and family to rise to their feet and stand at the podium.

Sonny rants on for a good ten minutes about all Jason had meant to him, assuring those in attendance that he doesn't know how he'll survive without his brother. The Quartermaines start to physically cringe the more he went on about how close they had been and how deeply affected his family will be without him there, having always loathed their connection from the start.

Carly follows soon after with a blubbery Carly version of what Sonny had already voiced. Of course, no one could really understand much of anything that had been coming out of her mouth between the tears. Truly an emotional mess for all to see. It had taken five guards to remove her from Jason's casket. Leaving many onlookers to believe that the burial would be no prettier than what they had just witnessed.

Then the Quartermaines delivered rather emotional speeches themselves, standing by their fallen relative, united as always. First they recalled Jason when he was a Quartermaine through and through before touching on his time as the Morgan version many knew him as.

While everyone continued to give their speeches, remembering Jason in their own way, Elizabeth remained stoic in her seat. Making no indication of rising to her feet, none at all. She owed none of them her words of grief. All her personal memories, all she recalls of the man that had taken claim to her heart, belongs to her and her alone. For none of them will ever know her husband for the man he truly was and that will forever be their loss.

As the ceremony starts to come to an end, one last person rises to their feet, tears falling almost as badly as Carly's. Jason's ex-girlfriend, Robin Scorpio, takes her place behind the podium, the perfect image of a grieving widow if Elizabeth ever saw one. Subtly she glances over at Jason's casket, looking as if she were attempting to stop her tears, before she faces those gathered head on.

Sweet and loving, as always, she recounts her life with Jason and all the dreams they had for their future. All the dreams she had for him. How she will always see him as the man that had saved her life and brought new meaning to her world when she literally had none to speak of. How she'll always love him for the man he was rather than the one many perceived him to be.

Everyone always believed that Jason and Robin were the Romeo and Juliet of the modern day, but Elizabeth knew them for what they truly were. A relationship that held no growth for either person and no purpose in Jason's future. Not because she was jealous of their connection, but because Jason had sworn to her that they no longer meant anything to him. She's his forever.

Elizabeth will let her have her moment, however, accepting that even past relationships needed some form of closure. She's certain that she and Robin will never find common ground in the foreseeable future, but it didn't mean she couldn't be civil in that moment. Regardless of the woman's initial intentions when she returned.

From the church to the cemetery, Emily remains in Elizabeth's arms, watching as the man that held everyone together is lowered into his final resting place for the rest of eternity. Turning her gaze to the former husband and wife, she finds Carly clinging to Sonny for dear life, tears still falling from her face all the while. One can only wonder how she'll move on without the person that kept her together for so long.

Ned Ashton, her husband's cousin, starts to sing one of the saddest songs she has ever heard as the casket is lowered into the ground. Fighting off tears of her own, she holds both Emily and Monica close, staring at the opening to the grave as the casket disappears from view. He never should have died. This was never supposed to happen. And, as guards fire off their guns in salute for their fallen brother, Elizabeth makes one solemn promise to her husband. She will find whoever did this to him and she will end them.


	2. Reality Bites

**Just A Dream**

"Reality Bites"

The void left by Jason's absence has begun to affect the men in ways that Francis hadn't anticipated. While some have literally broken down into tears, mostly the seasoned guards, others have stepped up to shoulder the burden that had rested solely upon his friend's shoulders. The loss of their friend and boss leaves him believing that nothing will ever be the same again.

"The guys are cooking something up." Johnny, his best friend and partner, comments as he plops down next to him. "They approach you with anything yet?"

"No." Francis shakes his head as he glances over at Marco, who's huddled with the Giambetti brothers. "Nothing yet."

"Me either." Johnny admits, turning his gaze to Richie and Cody. "Think we should be worried?"

"Not just yet." Francis assures his friend. "They'll come up to us when they're ready."

"Hopefully before they do something stupid."

"Come on." Francis nudges his friend before hopping down off the crate. "Its time to pick up Liz."

"You go ahead." Johnny shakes his head. "I'm gonna stick around. Make sure they keep their heads on straight."

"Suit it yourself." Francis shrugs, knowing that they really had nothing to worry about. The men wouldn't act without permission, that much he's certain on. "Call me if anything."

"Do the same."

"You got it, kid."

Leaving his friend to keep a watchful eye on the men, Francis slides into his SUV and takes off. Elizabeth has been spending her nights at the Quartermaine estate to keep a watchful eye over the family while they adjust to their new reality without Jason. Admirable, of course, but he fears that she may just be hiding behind their need. Something her husband had been famous for.

Getting to the estate, Francis is escorted into the family room to await Elizabeth, a formality that he has grown accustomed to these last few weeks. The first to enter the family room is none other than Emily, eyes red as ever, obviously not having the best of luck sleeping through the night. The last he heard from Elizabeth, the young woman was suffering from recurring nightmares. Thankfully for her sake, she's choosing to see a grief counselor for help in that department.

"Grandmother wasn't feeling too well, so, Elizabeth's having breakfast with her in bed." Emily explains Elizabeth's delay as she pours herself a cup of coffee. "She should be done soon."

"Its okay." Francis assures her, accepting the cup of coffee with gratitude. "It gives me time to check on you."

"I'm horrible." Emily says simply, taking a sip of her coffee. "As you could probably tell, I barely get much sleep, if any, and I've cried myself through at least ten boxes of Kleenex tissues."

"Emily..."

"I just lost my brother, Francis." she states, taking another sip of her coffee. "Forgive me for not being put together right now."

Shaking his head, he puts the cup of coffee down before walking over and wrapping his arms around her. He knew that she was lashing out at him because he's the safest person to do it with. Something he wishes Elizabeth would do from time to time, at least to get some of her pent up anger out if nothing else.

After a brief moment, Emily sets her cup down, wrapping her arms around him as she hugs him tightly to her body. From the looks of her, it was going to get a whole lot worse before she ever starts to come to terms with losing her brother. If he can help it, Francis wants to check on her as much as possible, to ensure that she doesn't go off the deep end. The fact that she's seeking help gives him hope, but he doesn't want to risk it.

"Everything okay?" Elizabeth voices from the doorway, a little worried.

"Yeah, everything's okay." Emily assures as she pulls away from Francis to walk over to her. "What about you?"

"I'm okay." Elizabeth says plainly before taking a deep breath. "I have to head into work. Do you need anything before I go?"

"No...I'll be fine." Emily assures. "Go save some lives."

"Okay." Elizabeth leans over, placing a soft kiss upon Emily's forehead before gesturing to Francis. "I'll be out in the car."

"I'll be right out." Francis assures before watching her walk out of the room. "Emily, I know we're not close by any means, but if you ever wanna talk..."

"I'll call." she assures, a soft smile gracing her lips. "Thank you for earlier...I needed it."

"Anytime."

Leaving the Quartermaine estate, Francis got the feeling that Elizabeth was up to something, much like the men at the warehouse. The difference between the two is that Elizabeth answered to no one. Which gave him a legitimate reason to be worried. From the look of her, he still had a good couple days before he'll be forced to call her on it. For now, she's still on the debating mode, something he hopes will last for at least a week.

Getting off the elevator, Elizabeth is immediately cornered by one of Port Charles' dumbest, Detective Lucky Spencer. At first, Francis thinks that he's going to question her about Jason's death, something that could have worked to his advantage, but he doesn't. For some odd reason, the Spencer idiot thought this would be a good time to ask Elizabeth out.

"Look, Spencer, I literally just buried my husband yesterday!" Elizabeth snaps. "If this is some kind of sick fantasy of yours to be with a widow, you're barking up the wrong tree!"

"That's not what I was..." Lucky started to say but she swiftly cut him off.

"In life and death, my heart is my husband's." Elizabeth states firmly. "If you can't grasp that, I seriously feel bad for you. Goodbye, Detective."

The stunned detective made a hasty exit as onlookers gaped at his audacity to ask out a woman so soon after the loss of her husband. Francis almost felt bad for him. With Elizabeth in full Lizzie mode, there was no telling the kind of wrath she would unleash on the unsuspecting residents of this town. Thankfully for all involved, Carly has kept her distance.

"I'll be back to pick you up later." Francis says as he hugs her tightly. "Try not to bite anyone else's head off today, huh?"

"No promises." she replies simply before allowing him to release his hold on her. "This is General Hospital after all."

"Right." Francis chuckles, thankful that she's still able to joke around, if nothing else. "See you later."

"Sure."

Waiting long enough for him to leave, she makes her way into the dressing room to get ready for her shift. With ten minutes left before she has to clock in, Elizabeth tries to make a call to Sonny in hopes of finding out how much progress he's made on the shooting, but all she gets is his voice mail. Ever since the funeral ended, getting in touch with Sonny has been beyond impossible.

Something she wouldn't think twice about if the men haven't assured her that Sonny wasn't in the middle of one of his episodes. For her to outright ignore her phone calls, so soon after losing Jason, left her wondering what else could be going on with him. The business has been quiet, given the grace period after the loss of her husband, so that couldn't be his excuse.

"What's are you up to, Sonny?" Elizabeth questions to herself as she tosses her cellphone into her locker, preparing for her first day back since losing Jason. Whatever it is, she will find out. That much she's certain of.


	3. Sonny

**Just A Dream**

"Sonny"

After what had to be the hundredth straight to voicemail call that she has endured, Elizabeth makes the decision to search out Sonny for a little face to face time. Normally she wouldn't think anything of Sonny not answering her calls, but circumstances are different and he should at least have the decency to answer her calls.

It wasn't until she had been escorted off Corinthos warehouse property that she gained the realization of just how bad things between her and Sonny truly are. Anger seething through her, Elizabeth leaves a message for Francis detailing what had happened before she makes her way to her old studio.

Everything that had been within reaching distance now laid shattered to pieces on her studio floor as she slumped down the wall in a bout of tears. How dare they pull a gun on her?! How dare they forcibly remove her from the property that her husband helped build from the ground up?! How dare Sonny treat her like this?!

Screaming at the top of her lungs, she slugs an already broken glass at the wall across from her, anger burning through her like lava from a volcano. Curled up against the wall, unable to hold it back anymore, Elizabeth completely breaks down. Tears falling down her cheeks in a river of pain and anger, her body shaking uncontrollably as her breathing becomes labored, Elizabeth loses all sense of control.

By the time that Francis and Johnny found her, she had passed out from exhaustion, her emotions taking its toll on her already fragile being. With gentle arms, Francis picked her up off the floor and laid her down upon the old studio couch, sadness etched into his features as he does so.

"I can't believe they pulled a gun on her." Johnny comments as his friend kneels down beside Elizabeth's head. "What were they thinking?"

"They were following orders." Francis states plainly, gently running his fingers through her hair as he mentally questions where Sonny's head is at. For him to do this to Elizabeth so soon after Jason's passing is unforgivable. "They had no choice."

"They had a choice." Johnny snaps before controlling himself. "They chose wrong."

"Johnny..."

"Don't Johnny me." Johnny says harshly beneath his breath. "Jason covered their asses more times than any of us care to admit. They had no right to treat his wife like this."

"What do you suppose we do?" Francis counters, eyeing his friend intently. "Jason's dead and as long as Sonny's barking orders, there's nothing the men can do, but obey."

"This is wrong, Francis." Johnny states firmly. "Jason's death...Sonny's treatment of Elizabeth...all of this!"

"You're right." Francis sighs, turning his gaze to the unconscious Elizabeth. "But, for now, all we can do is keep her safe and make sure something like this never happens again."

"Fine." Johnny accepts, moving to sit down by the front door. "Make no mistake, I will not let this go unanswered. No one treats her like this and gets away with it."

"Agreed."

Settling into his spot, Johnny decides to make a few phone calls, to ensure that Elizabeth is taken care of from all angles. If Sonny wants to start something, he better damn well be able to back it up because boss or not, Johnny won't let Sonny's mistreatment of Elizabeth stand. After everything that Elizabeth and Jason has done for him over the years, taking him into their family, Sonny can be damn sure that Johnny will have his head before anything bad happens to Elizabeth.

.

Stepping out of an unmarked SUV flanked on all sides by Sonny's men, Robin Scorpio felt more like a prisoner than a friend at this point, something she's trying desperately to ignore. She's not a prisoner. She and Sonny go back too far and long for that to be true. She's simply there to help a friend. That's it.

As they make their way into the safe house, a sudden chill runs through her body, sending goosebumps to settle over her arms and legs. Shivering slightly, Robin wraps her arms around her body, refusing to turn back now. This was too important and too critical to allow anyone else to handle it. No. It has to be her. He won't survive without her.

"Good, you made it." Sonny greets her as she steps into the makeshift clinic. "I take it you got here okay?"

"Yeah, everything was fine." Robin waves away his concern for her as she rushes over to the bedside. "How is he?"

"The doc kept him stable. There hasn't been much progress yet." Sonny says plainly. "I need progress, Robin."

"I'll get him back to normal." Robin says seriously. "Leave us."

Without another word, Sonny ordered the men out of the room before following after, not even a single glance back. As the door shut behind them, she could have sworn she heard the sound of the lock being shifted into place, the feeling of being a prisoner settling in even further as she stares back at the door. Sonny couldn't really intend on keeping her there until Jason was better could he?

Shaking off the thoughts of fear that have begun to cloud her thoughts, Robin forces herself to turn her attention back to the task at hand. Nothing mattered that what she had gone there to do. Sonny acting strange and the men's treatment of her aside, she has to focus on the man that meant more to her than most in this world.

"Oh, Jason." she sighs, running her fingers through his dirty blonde hair. "What have we gotten ourselves into?"

Getting to work on lowering Jason's temperature and dressing his wounds, Robin does her best to turn her emotions off and focus on the care that needs to be given. Everything else outside those four walls could wait for another day and time. Right now, her one and only priority is saving Jason's life and getting him back to his former glory.

.

It would be hours before she awoke from her slumber, a throbbing pain in her head as she glances around her studio and all the chaos left in the wake of her destruction. Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth turns to the door when it opens up, soon greeted by her two favorite bodyguards and friends.

"Hey." Francis greets her before setting a platter in front of her. "Eat up. You look like you need it."

"Thanks." she mutters, taking the fork that he holds out to her. "Sonny knows something."

"What?" Francis looks at her in confusion. "What do you mean Sonny knows something?"

"About Jason's death." Elizabeth says with conviction as she breathes in the delicious aromas of the food. "Why else would he do this to me?"

"I checked in with Sonny earlier." Francis counters. "He told me he hasn't made any progress in finding the person responsible."

"He knows something." Elizabeth restates her convictions. "And I intend to find out exactly what that is."

"Elizabeth..."

"Don't waste your breath, Francis." Johnny voices before plopping down next to her. "Lizzie's not going to hear anything we say. Not when she's this determined."

"Fine." Francis relents, knowing that its best for him to jump onto the train before it runs him over completely. "But we do this my way."

"Fine." Elizabeth accepts. "Until your way stops working. Then...we do it my way."

By the tone of her voice, both Francis and Johnny could feel a real sense of fear settle into the pits of their stomachs. There's this almost lethal edging to her voice that sends chills down their spines and fear into the deepest recess of their souls. It was a voice that she had never used before in their presence, but a tone they both knew she was capable of. After year with Jason, she has learnt her husband's traits all too well. God help them all because Lizzie's back for good this time and no one, not even the two of them, can control her. Not by a long shot.


	4. War

**Just A Dream**

"War"

The wait for his meeting with Sonny puts an edge in his gut that he just couldn't explain away. Whether it was the tone of his boss's voice or the order to remain at the warehouse that had caused the initial skepticism, Francis now believes Elizabeth's assumption that Sonny wasn't being forthcoming with what he knows.

"What's this about, Corelli? " his boss mutters as he walks into the office. "With Jason's absence, I need to get things situated before the grace period is up."

"Jason's wife." Francis says with a stern edge to his voice. "She was escorted from one of the warehouses at gun point."

"Is she okay?" his boss questions, though he could see that the man barely had any remorse for the deed that had been done.

"She's fine. Its not the first time she's had a gun aimed at her." Francis states plainly. "I'd like to know what would bring you to use such measures in regard to Jason's wife so soon after his passing."

"Steps had to be taken to ensure the integrity of this organization." Sonny snaps, moving to meet him eye to eye. "I'm sorry if she had been affected by the new policies in place, but my priority is getting this place in running order in the wake of Jason's passing."

"Has there been any headway in finding out what happened?"

"No. None." Sonny eases up a little, leaning against his desk. "Which is why I'm doing whatever it takes to secure this organization before another hit lands on our front door."

"Anything I can do?" Francis eyes him intently, waiting for that other shoe to drop, fearful that he would soon lose the one thing that had made any sense in his life.

"Everything's being handled." Sonny waves away his offer. "For now, you and O'Brien should just do what you've been doing. Elizabeth will need someone to watch out for her now that Jason's gone."

"As you wish."

Taking a deep breath, he turns on his heels, the surge of pain shooting through him as he steps out of the office and makes his way out to his car. This is more serious than Elizabeth could have possibly imagined. The last time that Jason went missing, he and Johnny had been busting down doors at the front of the pack.

Like every other tragic time in their lives, aside from when they were incapable of doing so. For Sonny to sideline them now, with such a heavy burden to bear, meant more than he could ever put into words at this point. He's up to something, for sure. But what?

Stepping through the studio door, Francis plops himself down beside Elizabeth, that all knowing look gracing her features when their eyes meet. Obviously she had expected this moment a lot sooner than he had anticipated it actually happening. He would dare question if it was her faith in him or just the loss of her husband that has put such little faith in their abilities.

"Fine." he voices simply, letting out a deep breath. "We'll do it your way."

"Good." she counters, turning her head as Johnny makes his way into the room. "Because we already got started."

Francis couldn't believe his eyes as Johnny tossed a blood stained rag onto the table before popping open a bottle of beer as if it had been the most normal thing in the world. Sure, blood was no stranger to either men in their line of work, but something about his friend's demeanor just didn't sit well with him.

"What did you two do?" Francis dares to glance over at Elizabeth before meeting Johnny's gaze. "I thought I told you to wait."

"Waiting has never been Lizzie's strong point." Johnny reminds him as he downs the rest of his beer. "Besides, we didn't do anything too drastic."

"Again, I ask, what did you do?" Francis questions sternly.

"Routine questioning." Johnny assures. "Some took a little more convincing than others, but hey...when a war's brewing, sometimes a little blood shed can go a long way."

"No one said anything about a war brewing." Francis barely choked out as he could see that it was undoubtedly about to turn into that.

"Pull your big boy pants on Francis because that's exactly what this is turning into." Johnny says seriously. "The hit on Jason came from within the organization. Can you think of anyone with that kind of authority to pull off such an order?"

"Sonny?" Francis dared to guess, knowing that it was between Sonny and Jason, with the latter obviously not stupid enough to call out a hit on himself.

"Sonny." Elizabeth snaps before slowly rising to her feet. "Now that we're officially doing this my way, I've got some calls to make."

"Elizabeth." Francis blurts out, stopping her from taking another step further. "You are going to tell me what the plan is, right?"

"Johnny can fill you in." Elizabeth says simply, removing his hold on her. "For now, I've got places to be. Don't wait up."

Watching her walk out the door, Francis could feel that knot in his stomach grow and tighten all at the same time. That edge to her voice that they heard before has now become a whole different thing entirely. Without Jason's balance, there really isn't a way to curb her thirst for revenge and that's what frightens him most of all. Johnny, on the other hand, seems to be along for the ride, as usual. Usually he and Jason can keep the two of them in check, but he just isn't sure he can do it alone.

"I'm glad you called." a man voices as Elizabeth slides onto a bar stool at the local bar. "Are you really prepared to take me up on my offer?"

"I want to know what really happened to my husband." she says sternly, downing the shot of tequila when its placed in front of her. "For the truth, I'm willing to meet your price."

"You will not regret it."

"I better not, Mr. Alcazar, because you won't like me if I do." she states, pulling out the gun from the small of her back before placing the business end just under his chin. "I'm not just a pretty face to admire and you'll do well to remember that."

"Of course." he replies carefully, slowly removing the gun away from his direction. "Remind me to bring you along to a meeting or two in the future."

"You couldn't possibly afford me." she replies simply, downing one last shot before rising to her feet. "We'll be seeing each other again soon. Try not to get yourself killed until this is over."

"And risk you bringing me back to life just to kill me all over again? Yeah, I'd think not."


	5. Allegiance

**Just A Dream**

"Allegiance"

Hand on her gun, Elizabeth eyes the large group of men standing outside her studio, every last one of them employed by none other than Sonny Corinthos. In front of the pack are the guards that she had always trusted and relied on whenever Jason was unavailable and vice versa.

Marco, she can remember a time when she stayed up all night with him when he was down with the flu and didn't want to be alone. Unlike Jason, he enjoyed a decent soup, always happy to have her presence during the times he's at his weakest. He never really had anyone to take care of him and he never forgot to remind her of just how much her attentiveness meant to him.

Then there's the Giambetti brothers. Every small success that either of them had ever made, no matter how insignificant it may have been to them, Elizabeth celebrated it with them. Baking for days on end to show just how important their little successes truly were. Not even one special event went by in their lives that she didn't celebrate it one way or another, always providing celebratory brownies.

She couldn't even begin to list all that she has been through with Cody and Ritchie. The two have gotten her into so many tight spots with Jason over the years, but she never regretted it. Not when her husband had been in the wrong. She wouldn't even dare touch on how many times she had sat with either men when a relationship turned sour because of the business.

"What is this?" Elizabeth finally voices as she contemplates the chances of her survival if she were to take all of them on.

"We come in peace." Marco voices as he steps out from the group to face her head on. "Johnny told us what you're planning to do..."

"And..." she dares to push forward, her grip tightening on her gun.

"All of us..." he gestures to the group standing behind him. "...we all want you to know that our allegiance lies with you."

"How can I trust that?" Elizabeth counters. "You work for Sonny..."

"Yes, he's our boss and, in many ways, we do owe him our loyalties, but you are more than that to us." Ritchie steps forward. "You and Jason are family. After all each of us have been through with you, there's just no other way to look at it than that."

"And family trumps business any day of the week." Max Giambetti tosses in before slinging his arm across his brother's shoulders. "I should know."

"You all expect me to believe that you'd turn against the devil himself to stand by my side?" Elizabeth questions as she releases her hold on her gun. "Forgive me for saying, but that's hard to believe."

"Our connection to you aside, there's another reason why we're doing this." Cody admits. "Sonny called out a hit on his own enforcer. A man we all owe our lives to, Sonny most of all. If you don't trust our allegiance to you for what it is then trust our vengeance. Sonny will not get away with ordering Jason's death. Not as long as at least one of us are still breathing."

"My head is telling me not to trust you, but my heart tells me that I can." Elizabeth says after a long moment. "And my husband always told me to follow my heart, so, I will. Don't make me regret it."

"We won't." Marco swears with his hand over his heart. "We loved Jason, too, Liz. I know you know that."

"Johnny will be back soon. Until then, you can let yourselves in and make yourselves at home." Elizabeth says as she relaxes slightly. "I have to drop by the Quartermaines to check in with them. Try not to break anything while you're waiting."

Making her exit, Elizabeth drives as fast as she possibly can to get to the Quartermaine estate, needing to check in with the family before she can get started on putting her plan in full swing. With the hospital approving her leave request, she has one less thing to worry about in the search for the truth behind losing her husband. Every part of her hopes that she can trust the men, but there's always the chance that the threat of Sonny will grow to be too much for one of them.

"Hey, you." Emily greets her at the door, pulling her in for a warm hug. "I'm so glad you could stop by today."

"Of course." Elizabeth says wholeheartedly before following her into the room. "How's Lila?"

"She's still under the weather." she sighs, pouring Elizabeth a cup of tea. "Losing Jason has really done a number on her."

"Speaking of which, how are you holding up?" Elizabeth dares to ask. "Is the grief counseling helping any?"

"Its helped me come to terms with losing him, I guess." Emily admits. "I mean, sometimes you just never get the warning, you know. Sometimes death is just sudden and tragic."

"Sure." Elizabeth shakes her head. "I'm glad you're able to get some help."

"You know, if you wanted to, I'm sure that I could get you an appointment." Emily carefully suggests. "As hard as it is to believe, sometimes talking it out with a professional can really help with the grieving process."

"Counseling's not really my kind of thing, Em." Elizabeth waves away the offer. "I tried it after I was raped and it only proved to make matters worse."

"You're just so busy helping everyone cope that I'm afraid you're neglecting yourself."

"Helping you all cope with his loss is helping me." Elizabeth assures her. "Like Jason once said, sometimes someone needing you is all it takes."

"I hope that's true."

"It is." Elizabeth says with conviction. "I promise you, Emily, I'm okay. One day I will come to terms with the loss of my husband and maybe even learn to let go...you just gotta let me do it my way."

"Okay." Emily finally accepts. "Just promise that, if it ever becomes too much to handle, you'll come to me."

"I promise." Elizabeth assures her. "I will find you the moment it happens."

"Okay, good." Emily smiles slightly. "You up for a movie binge?"

"Maybe just one movie."

"Then it'll be the longest one I've got." Emily smirks, heading off to find her favorite movie of all.

With her successfully distracted, Elizabeth makes her rounds with the rest of the family that are currently at home. Edward, always the charmer, does his best to keep her company for as long as possible before allowing her to move on to the rest of the family. Monica seems to be doing a little better, not by much, but any progress is good progress given the situation. Checking in on Lila wasn't all that long since she was in a peaceful slumber when Elizabeth poked her head in to check on her. If anyone needed the rest, it was definitely the elder lady.

"One movie and then I really have to get going." Elizabeth voices as she plops down beside Emily in the home theater. "Okay?"

"Okay." Emily promises as they settle in with a bowl of popcorn. "He'd be proud of you, you know."

"Who?"

"Jason." Emily says wholeheartedly. "For keeping tabs on the family...he'd be really proud of you."

"One can only hope."

If her husband could only see her now, she's certain that proud wouldn't be the word to describe his feelings towards her at this point. With all she plans to do to the man that her husband had dedicated his life to, proud would most definitely not be one of the words used. Not because of his loyalties to Sonny, but his loyalties to ensuring that she never allowed herself to head down this path again. After she murdered her rapist all those years ago, he had made her swear to never travel down that dark road again. Little did either of them know that the man both of them trusted Jason's life to would put an end to it. Her husband's blood is on Sonny's hands and she's prepared to ensure that he pays for that ten thousand times over.


	6. Regret Sets In

**Just A Dream**

"Regret Sets In"

Dropping the wet rag into the bowl by the bed, Robin begins to fear that she won't be enough to pull Jason from the brink of death. Though his wounds have begun to heal, something is keeping him from healing and she's still uncertain of what that is.

As she administers his dose of pain medication and antibiotics, she begins to ponder what else she can do to help pull him back from the brink. At first, talking to him had helped ease his tension, but not even that works anymore. Knowing there wasn't much she could do for him for the time being, she gets ready to leave for dinner at Mac's.

"Where are you going?" Sonny's voice stops her short of the doorway. "I thought I said that it was important for you to have minimal time away from him."

"You did and I haven't left since I got here." Robin counters. "Tonight's a big night for Uncle Mac. Don't you remember me telling you this days ago?"

"You said you were thinking about it."

"No, Sonny. I said that I'd be going to dinner with him and that I'd be on my cell if an emergency should come up with Jason." Robin says seriously, trying her best to ignore the stern look in his eyes. "I'll be back by ten o'clock."

"Fine." Sonny states through gritted teeth before moving closer to her. "But don't forget what I told you. No one is to know about Jason's survival or you'll risk putting his life in more danger than it already is. Do I make myself clear?"

"I won't tell anyone." Robin swears before pulling open the door. "You just make sure your men don't kill him while I'm out.

Walking out the door, she lets out a deep breath as she slumps against the door, a wave of emotions crashing over her as she forces herself up from the door and into her car. For days she has told herself that Sonny's just taking all precautions, that he's doing what he always does, protecting Jason. The more she tries to convince herself, however, the less she believes it.

"Robin!" her uncle greets her as she steps through the door of his house. "I'm so glad you could make it."

"I know I've been really busy lately." Robin apologizes as she hugs her uncle in greeting. "I hate not being around so much."

"You're a brilliant doctor." Uncle Mac waves away her apology. "Its understandable that they'd need you so much."

"Thanks for understanding, Uncle Mac." she says with appreciation. "You have no idea how much I need that right now."

"Is everything okay?" his concern starts to show as he guides her over to the table.

"Its just a patient...I'm trying to get him past the danger zone, but I haven't been able to." she sighs before shaking her head. "But tonight's not about that..."

"Tonight's about whatever I say it is." Uncle Mac counters as he sets down the platter of food. "Spill it. You know how you get when you try to figure things out on your own."

"Okay, okay." she chuckles softly. "I guess I could use a sounding board."

Giving her uncle as much information as she possibly could without betraying Sonny and Jason's trust, Robin looks to her uncle for some kind of clarity on the situation. Of course, she hadn't been prepared for the suggestion that he decides to give her. If if that were the answer to all her problems with Jason, its not like Sonny would allow it. He had been very specific that no one, not even Jason's wife, is to know of his whereabouts.

Finishing up dinner with her uncle to celebrate his promotion to police commissioner, Robin takes a ride to Jason's grave sight, needing a reminder of why she was doing this. If she doesn't find a way to save Jason, all of those that love him will find themselves in the middle of yet another funeral for him, one that he won't be coming back from. She was just about there when she noticed the figure of a woman kneeling down by the headstone. It didn't take much thought to know who she was.

"What are you doing here?" Elizabeth voices from her spot near her husband's headstone. "Didn't I give you enough grieving time at his funeral?"

"I'm sorry." Robin couldn't think of anything else to say at that point. "I...I'm just sorry."

"Yeah, well, you being sorry won't do anything to bring him back." Elizabeth sighs, lifting one hand to rest it against Jason's name engraved on the stone. "I'll only be a little while longer. You can stay as long as you want after that, but I'd like to be alone with my husband, if you don't mind."

"Of course not." Robin says quickly before turning her back on Elizabeth. "For what its worth, I really am sorry."

"Jason was and will always be my life...my reason for existing." Elizabeth says in a low voice, tears stinging her eyes. "I know you believe that your love with him was some story for the ages...something I'm certain Carly believes of herself, as well...but he is my husband and I was his future."

"If this is about what I said at the funeral..."

"I gave you your five minutes...your time for closure...more than any decent wife would do." Elizabeth says plainly. "If you want to help me, you can do so by dropping your act as the grieving widow. I was Jason's one and only wife. Grieve for him as a friend or just don't grieve for him at all."

Before Robin could think of anything more to say, Elizabeth waves her away before she focuses on her husband's name engraved upon the stone. Robin wanted to be angry at what she had said, but it was the truth. Every woman in Jason's life that had been fortunate enough to have him romantically had desired the role as his wife, but only one woman had ever claimed it. In many ways, if one were to truly think of it, Elizabeth had always been the one destined for that role. She and Jason, they don't make sense and they do all at the same time.

"I know, okay, but I'm not sorry." Robin could hear Elizabeth say as she ducks behind one of the larger headstones near Jason's grave. "I know she was one of your closest friends, but you can't honestly blame me for voicing how I felt. You always told me to be more honest with people...so...there. I was honest."

Robin listens on for a little while longer, just long enough for the guilt to settle into the deepest parts of her heart. Even in death, she speaks to Jason as if he were still there beside her, keeping up his end of the conversation. One of the things Robin had always envied of Elizabeth was her ability to get him to open up and just talk with her. No blank expressions, no dropping out of the conversation when it became too much for him, no bailing at all. When a conversation was needed, they had it. Jason would refuse to walk away from her until it was handled. Something no other woman in his life was ever able to accomplish.

Taking a deep breath, she makes a silent exit, leaving Jason's wife to grieve for him. She had gone there for one purpose and one purpose only, to remember why she was trying so hard to save him. After her conversation with Elizabeth, she now has only one reason left. She will put up with Sonny's dysfunction long enough to save Jason's life and return him to the only person he probably ever truly loved. Making her way out of the cemetery, she drives her car back to the safe house, finding her way back to Jason's bedside.

"You have to get better, Jason. Your wife is hurting...she's broken without you." Robin voices as she takes his hand in hers. "For her sake, you need to stop fighting the medication and let it take its course. Allow yourself to heal. If not for yourself, do it for her. Do it for your wife."

It seemed almost instantaneous, as soon as the words left her lips, Jason's body began to relax against the bed beneath him. Slowly his vitals begin to level out and return to the safe zone. It'll be well into the night before his vitals begin to show a sign of growing stronger. Not by much, but it was enough to give her hope.


	7. Inferno

**Just A Dream**

"Inferno"

Arms crossed over her chest, Elizabeth watches as the men load all valuable merchandise and files onto unmarked vans to be transported to a safe place while they execute phase one of their fight against Sonny. Slowly but surely, she will tear down the very fabric of who Sonny is, starting with the most important thing in that man's life. His business.

Money and power are the two things that Sonny derives from running his organization, making it the first step in her plans to tear Sonny apart piece by piece. He thinks he's the most diabolical person alive, but that is only because of the people he employs. Without the very skilled men beneath him, Sonny would be nothing but a wannabe thug on the streets.

"We're all set." Johnny voices, slipping the remote in her hand before turning to face the building. "When you're ready, press the button."

"Got it." Elizabeth says simply as the vans pull away from the warehouse. "You should go oversee the unloading."

"Right." Johnny says after a long moment. "Don't linger for too long. The explosion will get everyone's attention."

"I know." she replies plainly. "Go."

Without another word, Johnny slides into his unmarked SUV before driving as fast as it can take him away from the scene. He knows that he probably should have remained by her side to ensure that she gets away clean, but he also knows better than to argue the point when she gets that look in her eyes. As much as Francis wants to deny it, this is mostly her fight, and he'll oblige that for as long as possible.

"Enjoy whatever peaceful slumber you are currently in, Sonny, because it'll be the last one you'll ever have." she mutters to herself before she presses the detonator. "One down...twelve more to go."

She lingers long enough to see the flames escape through the open windows before she makes a silent exit. Her presence wouldn't be questioned much, not with her studio being so close to the warehouse, and that suited her just fine. As tempting as it would be to be the one to call the authorities, she knows not to push her luck. Making her way into her studio, she slides her headphones into place before getting started on her latest art piece. One she'll undoubtedly label, the death of a tyrant.

..

Sonny sits stoic in his office chair, going over the initial results from Jason's latest medical tests. According to the doctor's, the drug that he has been giving Jason has finally started to take hold and soon they'll be able to administer the next dosage. The sooner the drug takes hold, the faster he'll be able to return Jason back to the man he had been before the slut poisoned his mind.

"Soon." Sonny smirks as he looks over the results. "Soon life will go back to normal."

Just as he slides the file into his desk, a guard comes bursting into his office unannounced, spewing something or another about turning on the news and something he had to see. Before the anger could cross his lips about being intruded on so disrespectfully, the news report comes on over the television stopping any form of outburst from Sonny.

There on the television screen, completely engulfed in flames, is one of his main warehouses. With everything going on with Jason, he hadn't been able to move the merchandise that had just come in that morning. Watching as millions of dollars of his merchandise burn in a heap of flames, Sonny grabs the closest thing to him and smashes it against the wall.

"SON OF A BITCH!" Sonny shouts at the top of his lungs. "What are you doing just standing there?! Find the bastard that did this NOW!"

"Yes, boss."

It seemed as if the guard couldn't get out of the office fast enough, slamming into everything on his way out. Sonny's eyes remained glued on the television screen, watching as the building continued to burn, regardless of how hard the firefighters were trying to put the fire out.

It seemed as if the more water sprayed onto the flames, the higher they grew, swallowing the warehouse entirely in his flaming abyss. He doesn't know who's responsible, but he knows that they just signed their death warrant. No one gets away with doing this to him and lives to brag about it. NO ONE.

..

"And, so, the circus begins." Elizabeth comments when Johnny and Francis walk into her studio, gesturing to the crowd down below. "Whatever men still remain loyal to Sonny have begun to gather down below. Probably milking information out of the law enforcement and bystanders."

"Took them a lot longer than I thought it would." Johnny admits, moving to stand by the window. "Can't help but wonder why that is. Francis?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Francis agrees, having expected the men to show up a hell of a lot sooner. "The only reason for a late response is a busy Sonny, but what could have him too busy for his own warehouse?"

"Now that we have his attention, its time to do more damage." she states as she stares down at the crowd. "Tomorrow we have Sonny's top warehouse raided. Since he believes all his merchandise has gone up in flames, it will be a true surprise when he finds out that his men were arrested because of it."

"Pushing his hand in calling us back into the thick of it all." Johnny predicts, moving over to plop down on the couch. "And that will be his fatal mistake."

"Exactly." Elizabeth says seriously. "Once he pulls you both in, his downfall truly begins."

"For now, we should get some rest." Francis suggests. "It'll take until morning, at the very least, for the men to finish their canvas and call it a day."

"You two go ahead." Elizabeth replies, moving towards her easel. "I'm gonna stay up for a little while longer."

Francis could see that she was up to something, something he was certain would give him a heart attack if he were to know about it, but he didn't have the heart to call her out on it. It has become abundantly clear that Elizabeth has been planning this type of attack for a long time now. Long before Sonny had put a hit out on Jason. He could only wonder if she had seen this betrayal coming or if it had been for another reason entirely. Watching her walk out of the studio once she believes them both to be asleep, Francis begins to believe that there's more to Jason's death than even Elizabeth is willing to share with them.

"You're late." Alcazar voices as she takes her seat by him at the end of the bar. "I would think, given the circumstances, you'd be a little more punctual."

"Forgive me, but who is the employer in this scenario?" Elizabeth counters, turning a stern glare in his direction. "Unless you are trying to make me regret going into business with you..."

"Of course not." Alcazar assures before ordering her up a shot of tequila, hoping that would put her in a more friendly mood. "Just a simple observation. That's all."

"Just tell me what I need to know." Elizabeth states as she downs the shot of tequila before ordering up another. "You're not the only aspect of this plan that I need to keep tabs on."

"And here I thought I was special." he counters before turning serious. "Okay, so, no jokes today. Got it."

"Have you done it yet or not?"

"I have a meeting set for tomorrow." he assures. "I'll present them with the evidence and inform you once they've made a decision."

"Fine." she voices as she rises to her feet. "Call me when its done."

"Before you go, I've been dying to ask you something..."

"Make it fast."

"Why always this place?" Alcazar questions with intrigue. "There has to be better places to conduct business."

"Here, I have home court advantage." Elizabeth says simply. "If you were to even think about trying something...lets just say that it wouldn't be in your best interest."

Without another word, she makes her way over to the bartender to pay her tab before leaving the bar. Just because Alcazar was the most trusted of her husband's associates, it doesn't mean he was entirely trustworthy. Trust is hard to come by in his line of work and its always better to be safe than sorry. One mistake can cost you your life. A mistake she won't be making again in regard to anyone.

Though she may feel bad on some level for keeping Johnny and Francis out of the loop on most of her plan, her husband's words keep her from divulging anything she hasn't already. Sometimes, as hard as it may have been to learn before, some truths are better left on the need to know basis. The less people that know, the more likely a plan is to succeed and the less people get hurt.

**Author's** **Note:**  
_Thank you for your continued interest in this fanfic. Efforts are being made to complete it and your kind reviews have gone a long way in the completion of this fic. Many thanks and gratitude to you all._


	8. Dumbfounded

**Just A Dream**

"Dumbfounded"

It didn't make any sense. He was getting stronger. Slowly but surely, his vitals were getting stronger. He was even regaining some color in his features. Staring down at her patient, Robin couldn't understand how he could go from getting stronger to a complete mess within the span of one day. He should have already gotten past the critical stage. His injuries don't account for the sudden relapse, so, what could possibly cause it at this stage in his recovery?

"I don't know what's going on, Jason." she whispers as she places the wet rag on his forehead. "But I promise you that I'll find out."

Glancing back at the guard standing by the door, making sure that he wasn't paying attention to them, Robin slides her medical bag over to her before subtly digging through it for a vial. The only way to figure out what's really happening with Jason is for her to run a few tests on her own. She'll be leaving for supplies later on that day, giving her the perfect opportunity to have his blood tested. Something is causing Jason's sudden relapse and, if she's going to keep her promise of healing him, she has to find out what that is and put a stop to it.

..

One of his most prized warehouses has been reduced to ashes and no one can tell him anything about how the fire started or who perpetrated the whole fiasco. Staring at what was left of his warehouse, Sonny's anger only proved to rise further and further. It seems as if some rat bastard has decided to ignore the grace period, leaving him with only one thing left to do. Request a meeting and have them handle this for him. After all, he's still grieving the loss of his lead enforcer.

"I don't want to hear about all of that right now, Benny." Sonny snaps at his financier. "Right now I want you to focus on setting up a meeting. You know the one I'm talking about."

"But, sir..."

"JUST GET IT DONE!"

Shoving his cellphone back into the pocket of his coat, Sonny takes one last long look at what's left of his warehouse before ordering the guards to take him back to the safe house. There's nothing more he can do for this warehouse. As long as Jason's out of commission, more will surely follow, making his main priority Jason's recovery. As soon as he's back to his old self, Sonny's business will be secured and no one will ever try to take it from him again.

..

From the early hours of the morning until nearly noon, Elizabeth has been sitting up sifting through the paperwork that they had taken from the warehouse that now lays in ashes. Most of what they had retrieved meant little to nothing to her. Shipment routes, order forms, payroll records, etc. Nothing of much use to her. That was, of course, until she stumbled upon a rather intriguing order form.

"Hey, Francis?" Elizabeth calls out from her spot on the floor, waiting long enough for him to stick his head in the doorway before continuing. "Any idea why Sonny would put an order out for fugu poison?"

"No...no idea." Francis replies confusedly. "Anything significant about it?"

"Maybe..." she voices as her focus returns to the order slip in her hands. "...but it can't be what I'm thinking of. Its not possible."

"What's not possible?"

"I...I saw him for myself. He didn't have a pulse." she says offhandedly. "He couldn't have pulled that off right under..."

"Elizabeth, hey!" Francis practically shouts in order to get her attention. "What are you talking about?"

"It doesn't matter." Elizabeth shakes her head before tossing the order form into the pile and rising to her feet. "Its not possible. Its just...its not possible."

"Where are you going?"

"I have to go see someone." Elizabeth says as she grabs her jacket. "Do me a favor and call Johnny for a progress report. I want to make sure that this is done before nightfall."

"Yeah, sure." Francis says as she walks out the door. "I'll handle it."

"Thanks." she replies simply. "I'll be back soon."

Deciding that driving wasn't quite in her best interest at the moment, Elizabeth makes her way on foot to the Quartermaine estate. Once she gets there, she makes her usual rounds with the family, thankful that some have begun to heal while others are slowly getting there. Monica looks to be doing a lot better today and, for that, she's grateful. Finally, she makes her way up to the matriarch of the family, needing her guidance now more than ever.

"All I want is the truth...I want him to admit to what he's done." Elizabeth voices as tears well up in her eyes. "Jason trusted him with his life and he betrayed that..."

"I know that you want justice for what happened to Jason. No one can fault you for that, my dear." Lila assures. "But vengeance is a slippery slope."

"I know." she sighs, sliding one of her hands into one of the elder lady's. "The more I dig, Grandmother, the more I fear that there's something I'm missing..."

"What do you mean?"

"Today, I stumbled upon something that could possibly mean something I could have only prayed for..." Elizabeth divulges. "...evidence that Jason might not be dead, after all."

"Is that a real possibility?" Lila dares to hope. "Could it be possible that Jason's still alive?"

"Maybe...I don't know." she shakes her head. "I mean, there's a chance that he might be...but its a long shot. I mean, there really wasn't that much time for Sonny to pull it off...I was with Jason almost every moment since he was brought into the hospital."

"If there's even a sliver of a chance that Jason's alive, don't you think you owe it to yourself to find out?" Lila counters seriously. "For all we know, that dastardly Sonny could have him locked away somewhere."

"What if he doesn't?" Elizabeth dares to question. "What if I'm just seeing what I want to see and Jason's really dead?"

"What if he isn't?" Lila counters. "If the roles were reversed and Jason were in your shoes right now, what would he do?"

"He'd follow this lead wherever it took him." Elizabeth said without hesitation. "And that's what I'll do...thank you, Grandmother. Once again, your clarity has proven invaluable."

"I'm certain you already knew what you were going to do." Lila waves away her gratitude. "Sometimes, much like your husband, you just needed a push."

"Doesn't make what I said any less true." she counters with a slight smirk. "I'll see you again soon."

Placing a soft kiss upon the elder lady's cheek, Elizabeth makes her exit, content in her decision. Whether or not Sonny used the fugu poison to fake Jason's death, she will find the truth behind what happened to her husband. Regardless of whether the truth will bring him home to her or not. Making her way back to her studio, Elizabeth places a call to the one person that could most likely help her with this.

"Stan, its Elizabeth." she voices once his voice comes over the line. "Yeah, I'm doing okay...listen, I hate to do this to you, but I need a huge favor."


	9. Suspect Number 2

**Just A Dream**

"Suspect #2"

Staring at her television screen, Elizabeth watches intently as the news reporter goes into detail regarding the raiding of Sonny's most prized warehouse. Like she had predicted, the police have yet to divulge anything important about the raid, but that's beside the point.

Phase two has been completed, taking down more men than she had initially anticipated, likely a counter measure put into place by Sonny to ensure that his warehouse was secure. Among those arrested are none other than the ones that held her at gun point. Karma at its best.

Knock. Knock.

"Liz?" Cody sticks his head in tentatively. "You got a minute?"

"Sure." Elizabeth shakes her head, putting the television on mute before turning to him. "What's up?"

"The guys have been talking and...well, we're all wondering..." Cody sighed, knowing he was never good at asking for information, especially from the people he works for when its not given freely. "Could it possible? Could Jason really be alive?"

"Where did you hear that from?" Elizabeth looks at him seriously. "Only three people, beside myself, should know about that."

"Ritchie overheard Francis and Johnny." Cody admits while taking a couple steps back when she rises to her feet. "He didn't mean to..."

"Relax, I'm still me, Cody." Elizabeth shakes her head before gesturing for him to come and sit down. "I was going to share the information with the rest of you once I knew for certain...but, yes, its a real possibility that my husband is still alive."

"Killing Jason never made any sense to me." Cody voices as he sits down on the couch. "So, if Sonny didn't have him killed, why fake his death?"

"That's something I'm trying to figure out myself." Elizabeth explains. "For now, all I have is the receipt and a possible safe house that Sonny could have Jason. Stan still needs to narrow down the possibilities and that'll take another day or so."

"How are you doing with this?" Cody dares to ask. "I mean, it can't be easy not knowing if your husband's alive or not."

"Its not easy." she admits. "But I'm dealing with it. I'm okay."

"Of course." Cody smiles slightly, having anticipated her denial of vulnerability. "Well, if you find that you're not..."

"I'll let you know."

"Good." he accepts before rising to his feet. "Before I forget, the men wanted you to know that they're ready to implement phase three whenever you are."

"I'll be right there."

Waiting long enough for him to walk out of the room, Elizabeth turns the volume back up on the television just as footage of Sonny comes onto the screen. The look of pure anger on his face puts a proud smirk on hers. It had always been the plan, for years now, to take down Sonny's organization, but to see it in action now...its bitter sweet, for sure.

It was bad enough when she thought he killed her husband, now to think that he has him stored somewhere out of her reach, Elizabeth has begun to devise an endgame specifically designed for a torturous end. A plan fitting for a man like Sonny Corinthos.

Making her way out of the room, she meets up with the men in the garage, immediately looking over what they had before green lighting phase three. While they are out handling what needs to be handled, she had a little meeting to get to. None of this will work without this element. None of it.

"Elizabeth?" Francis stops her as she's about to get into one of the unmarked cars. "I know I can't stop you...so, just promise me you'll be safe."

"I will be." Elizabeth assures, slowly removing his hand from her arm. "Go with the men. If something goes wrong, they'll need your experience to get away clean."

"You know if Jason is alive, he'll kill me for letting you control things like this, right?"

"If my husband is alive, you can rest assured that I'll protect you." she smiles teasingly before kissing his cheek. "I'll see you when I get back. Keep them safe."

"Will do."

Getting into the car, she revs it into life and takes off to the local bar, needing to get this meeting over and done with before she continues her plans in taking Sonny done. The last thing she needs is retaliation in any shape or form. The sooner she handles this, the better off she and the rest of them will be. Of course, she hadn't expected to run into the number one blonde in her husband's life.

"Carly, really, I don't have time for another fight." Elizabeth says as she tries to make her way around the blonde. "Whatever you have to say, it'll have to wait until tomorrow."

"No! You have been avoiding me and I want to know why."

"Avoiding you?" Elizabeth had to stop and look at her now. "I wasn't aware we were on good enough terms to consider what I was doing avoidance."

"Fine, so, maybe not avoiding." Carly relents. "I know we were never on good terms while Jason was still alive, but I had assumed with his absence that we'd be able to put it aside and be there if need be."

"You need me?" she looks at her even more skeptically now. "What's up your sleeve, Carly?"

"Ugh, subtly sucks ass, anyway." Carly snaps before blurting out exactly what's on her mind. "I know you've taken Jason's place."

"Excuse me?" Elizabeth looked at her like she has lost her mind. "Am I supposed to know what you're talking about?"

"A few bottles of tequila and you can get Milo to confess just about anything." Carly says seriously. "What I want to know is why you'd throw your life away like this."

"Why do you care?"

"I care because I made a promise to Jason that if anything ever happened to him, I'd step up when it mattered." Carly snaps. "And right now it matters."

"I appreciate the sentiment, Carly, but you're better off sticking to your motto of looking out for number one." Elizabeth says seriously. "I'm not doing anything I can't handle."

"Have you not learnt anything from Jason's life?" Carly growls. "There is no handling it! If Jason couldn't survive this life, how the hell do you think you can?"

"I don't have time for this." Elizabeth takes a deep breath before staring her right in the eyes. "There's more to this than even you know. Now, unless, you are about to gag me and throw me in a padded cell for the rest of my life, I suggest you get out of my way and let me handle what needs to be handled."

"This isn't over." Carly says as she steps out of the way. "You can trust me on that."

"Whatever makes you sleep at night." Elizabeth says as she walks past her, turning to utter one last line before continuing on with her night. "Just keep one thing in mind, Carly, everything I do is for Jason. It always has been, it always will be."

Turning away from the blonde, she makes herself comfortable at the end of the bar, completely unaware of Carly making another drinking date with Milo. Whatever Elizabeth is up to, it was clear she wasn't going to get any answers out of the little muffin face. So, as much as she hates milking things out of Milo, it was time for another drinking binge to get a few answers.

"Is it done?" Elizabeth voices the moment Alcazar sits beside her at the bar.

"Nice to see you again, too, Mrs. Morgan." Alcazar responds. "Why, yes, I was having a pleasant day myself, as well."

"Sorry." she sighs. "Its nice to see you, Mr. Alcazar. I'm glad your day has gone well. Can we get done to business now?"

"Of course." he smiles slightly, gesturing for a round for each of them before continuing once it was placed in front of them. "I presented them with your case and they've agreed with your terms. Sonny's reign needs to come to an end. What happens to his territory once the dust settles will be up to the one that kills him."

"In other words, me."

"If indeed you are the one that pulls the proverbial trigger...yes. It will be entirely up to you."

"Good." she says before downing her shot and rising to her feet. "Your payment will be delivered as promised."

"Just out of curiosity, what do you plan to do with his estate once you've gotten your revenge?"

"I haven't decided." she says simply. "Either I run it or I burn it to the ground."

"You should definitely go with the first one." he says as matter of opinion. "With a woman like you running things, I doubt many will try to overthrow you."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I have not made a decision either way." Elizabeth says simply. "Although, watching Sonny's hard work burn to the ground does have a rather delicious temptation that I might not be able to resist. Goodbye, Alcazar."

"If you do end up running things, try to keep me in mind when you decide to make alliances."

"Dully noted."

Tossing a couple bills onto the bar, she makes her way out of the building with one destination in mind, the hospital. There's a doctor there that specializes in natural poisons such as fugu. Though she'd never want to get on the man's bad side, he did come in handy in situations such as the one she has found herself in.

Hopefully he'll be able to give her an idea of the kind of skills that are needed to administer it correctly without leaving any lasting damage. While Stan is working on finding a location, she needs to learn as much as she can about the poison and the side effects once it leaves the system. As she's turning the corner to the doctor's office, however, she happens upon a conversation that leaves her a little curious about the young Dr. Scorpio.

"You know what, I don't even want to know what you've gotten yourself into." Dr. Drake voices to Robin, a serious look upon his face. "All I'll tell you is that the longer this patient is exposed to this particular drug combination, the worse things will be once the patient recovers."

"Is there any way I can counteract it?" Robin practically begs. "Please, Patrick, I can't just stand by and do nothing."

"There's no way to counteract it without compromising the patient's already fragile immune system." he states firmly. "If you want to save this patient, I suggest you get them out of whatever care they're currently under and into an actual medical facility."

"That's not possible." Robin says after a long moment. "Please, there has to be something I can do. You're the best neurosurgeon in the country. You have got to have some kind of idea..."

"I gave you my prognosis and the best course of treatment for your patient, pro bono, I might add." Patrick says plainly. "Its up to you to follow my advice or not. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date to get to."

"Is another notch on your belt really worth the life of this patient?!"

"Goodnight, Dr. Scorpio." Patrick states. "And be grateful that I've chosen not to go to the medical board with this."

"Patrick, wait, please! Patrick!"

"Robin?" Elizabeth steps out from the spot she had been. "Everything okay?"

"Uh, yes...yes, everything's okay...fine." Robin shakes her head before composing herself. "Uh, what are you doing here? I thought you're on vacation?"

"I am." she confirms. "I was just here to speak to Dr. Nolan."

"Oh, well, he's in his office." Robin divulges. "He just finished his last appointment, so, he should be free to meet with you."

"Thanks." she keeps her eyes on her, trying to get a read on the woman. "You sure everything's okay?"

"Uh, yeah...sure." Robin says as she starts to move past Elizabeth. "I should get going. I hope Dr. Nolan will be able to help you."

Watching her walk away, Elizabeth picks up her cellphone to tell the guard she brought with her to tail Robin, her gut screaming that she was in this just as deep as Sonny. Turning away from where Robin walked out of sight, she makes her way to Dr. Nolan's office. She needs to know how to handle this before she gets her husband back. If its true and Robin is in this up to her neck, Elizabeth can't be certain she won't tear her down in the same way as Sonny.


End file.
